


Elusive

by Eggplantssandpeachess



Series: To Covet Our History [2]
Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alpha Zhang Yi Xing | Lay, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alpha/Omega, Beta Kim Jongdae | Chen, Investigations, M/M, Murder, Mystery, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-27
Updated: 2019-03-27
Packaged: 2019-12-25 07:04:07
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,282
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18256211
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Eggplantssandpeachess/pseuds/Eggplantssandpeachess
Summary: Dr. Kim Jongdae, a Beta, in light of the Seoul Slasher case, found he was wholly unprepared to navigate the mysterious world of Alphas and Omegas. He decided to call on an Old friend and expert in the field; Professor Zhang Yixing. The Anthropology Professor was all too happy to help the good Doctor.





	Elusive

**Author's Note:**

> [](https://www.flickr.com/photos/152334162@N05/40458861183/in/dateposted-public/)   
> 

 

“Professor Zhang!” Dr. Kim called out, he waved his arm, while the other held a briefcase containing his work.

 

A tall gentleman in the distance turned abruptly, and after a second in recognition beamed a smile, his eyes crinkling behind his circular glasses.

 

“Jongdae is that you?! Goodness!,” The professor walked briskly to meet the Doctor half way under the limestone arch of the University hallway. “I thought you were one of my pesky students,” He chuckled. “It's been a long time my friend, what can I do you for?”

 

Professor Yixing Zhang was an old friend and colleague of Dr. Kim, they had first met when the Doctor was still a young man. At the the time, Dr. Kim was studying tirelessly, feverish to complete his next assignment; Seoul National University was a competitive environment; a day wasted meant being left behind. They became familiar with one another through their shared Sociology units and naturally a friendship bloomed. The Doctor had never hidden his clear admiration for the man; Professor Zhang had a cheerful disposition, he always had many interesting stories to tell; a frequent traveller, he was worldly, unconventional, and easily likable.

 

“You haven't changed a bit, never felt to leave Academia, Professor?” Dr. Kim wrapped an arm around his friend, patting him firmly on the back. As the Doctor stood by his friend, he regrets not returning to the University for a more social reason. Working with the police had monopolised his time and before he realised it years had passed since they last spent time together. “Actually, Yixing, could we talk in your office perhaps?”

 

Professor Zhang quirked his eyebrow and bowed his head. “Yes, sure, of course, I was just heading there myself.”

 

.

.

.

 

“Academia has always been my passion, research and teaching is all I'm good at.” Professor Zhang closed the door behind him after letting Dr. Kim walk through.

 

“And you, how is the field? Working with the police must be exciting. There's been a lot of buzz…” Said Professor Zhang as he sat at his chair by his Mahogany desk. “The press have been relentless, but there seems to have been little development.”

 

Dr. Kim took his time to look around his friend's office, all wooden furniture against exposed brick. It was beautiful and comfortable. Old artifacts in tall glass cabinets, the walls filled with framed certificates. ‘Phd. Anthropology’ the one at the center of the wall read.  

 

“Well… yes, that's what I'm actually here about.” Dr. Kim sat opposite with a sigh. “The police are hesitant to release anymore information, the city is already in a panic.”

 

“There's been another victim?”

 

“Unfortunately. And a possible suspect… Though nothing concrete.”

 

“Should I make sure to lock my doors at night? That's the 6th victim. I heard they were all Alphas.”

 

Dr. Kim assessed his friend with a weary look. “Perhaps…”

 

“Don’t worry about me,” Professor Zhang smiled.

 

The Doctor’s weary look remained, he found no comfort in his friends words.  “The victims all seem to have no relation to one another, other than being Alphas, it's totally random as far as anyone is concerned.”

 

“But you're not anyone are you Jongdae?” Professor Zhang grinned with a pointed finger. “The silver bullet of the police force, I often hear,”

 

He grimaced at the compliment. “No I'm not. I've worked plenty of cases before… All Beta cases, that is.” The Doctor admitted with a wince. “ I fear this particular one will force me back to Academia with my tail tucked between my legs. I know there must be a connection, a pattern to this bloodshed.”

 

“I'd welcome you, I’d vouch for you, there is nothing to fear, Jongdae. What of the University if there were no free positions left for a distinguished Psychologist?”

 

Dr. Kim flashed a crooked smile. “Let's hope it doesn't come to that, but thank you anyway Yixing.” He rubbed the back of his head. “ I apologise for visiting under such unfortunate circumstances, I wanted to hear your professional insights,”

 

The professor looked pensive before he propositioned his opinion; hands clasped together on the table. “You say pattern, perhaps what you need to look for is history, you may not believe it but the world of Alphas and Omegas is quite small… Quite seclusive.. No doubt there is a connection.”

 

Dr. Kim agreed with the professor, he was all too aware of his own naive understanding of the biology, psychology and social differences between Betas and the Alpha-Omega population. Omega numbers were evidently low, but Alphas were nearly the same. Beta’s were the majority. This was why he came here, to gain a perspective from an Alpha who was knowledgeable.

 

“Tell me Yixing, what do you know of Alpha-Omega bonds?”

 

“A fair bit, it is covered extensively in my field of expertise, but not personally ” Said the Professor with a casual shrug. “This is to do with the current case, correct? The Slasher? The name is a little crude....”

 

“Officially… No, but unofficially, yes.” Dr. Kim's voice was low. He felt nervous to talk about the case to someone outside of the police force.

 

“Say no more my friend, ask me anything,” Professor Zhang held is palms up. “Though you should have asked me out for a drink,”

 

“I-I didn't think it was appropriate, considering…”

 

“Yes, the deaths,” The Professor nodded. “Understandable, maybe next time.” He said listlessly.

 

Dr. Kim paused briefly to mull over his words before he took a deep breath. “I was wondering, how much power does an Alpha have over their Omega?” Dr. Kim rubbed his hands together and leaned forward, elbows resting upon his knees. “Could an omega be… compelled by their Alpha?”

 

The Professor gave a thoughtful look with a tilt of his head, he remained silent as though waiting for the doctor to continue.

 

“You see, I've recently interviewed a man, an Alpha. He was nothing short of intimidating. I couldn't help but feel uneasy, no offense, it's just that Alphas hold this tangible power; they don't feel any reason to hide it, and they seem have every advantage to use it.”

 

“Well…” The Professor leaned back in his chair and crossed his leg.

 

Dr. Kim was worried about how he worded the question but the Professor, an Alpha himself, didn't seem to take any offense to the stereotype.

 

“I believe the question you need is ‘How much power does an _Omega_ have over their Alpha’?” Professor Zhang queried. “Today's society was not always predisposed to that sort of dynamic, laws and policies would predictably lead one to assume as such,”

 

The doctor’s gut clenched at the answer that confirmed his previous suspicions. At the time he refused to believe that Mr. Park’s partner, Byun Baekhyun an Omega, was somehow involved, he could not even dare to think of him as a suspect. It had not seem possible at the time, he reasoned. But now Dr. Kim felt validated in seeking Professor Zhang, the information was uncovering an aspect he had not seriously considered before.

 

“Yixing… Why aren't you intimidating to me? I've never realised,” Dr. Kim flashed an apologetic look. “We've been friends for so long yet I feel nothing of the sort from you.”

 

The Professor chucked, lights danced in his gentle gaze. “I have nothing to protect,” He said. “I am an Alpha unbonded to an Omega.” He held his arms aloft with a small shrug of his shoulders.

 

Dr. Kim paused at that, eyes far, his mind even further. “And here I thought you would have settled down, an omega of your own, maybe a family.”

 

“Me?” The Professor took a deep breath. “An Omega? No.” He shook his head and continued seamlessly. “Tell me Jongdae, before my curiosity tears me apart, who was the latest victim?”

 

“Sorry? I-I, I'm not sure if I can share the details of my case.” Stammered Dr. Kim attempting to return to the conversation at hand. His mind was still working behind his eyes, collecting pieces to a picture puzzle he had never seen before. The Doctor had the uncanny feeling that he had missed something very important.  “Even the press was denied that information --”

 

The Professor was quiet, a look of professional neutrality, but Dr. Kim could see the flash of disappointment in those eyes. And how bright it was that it made the Doctor look away.

 

“I-I -- Fine okay, take a look at the case so far, god knows I need the help.” Dr. Kim said without confidence. Maybe he really did want to save face, too prideful to do things by the books. Or maybe this case brought forth feelings he had feigned to contemplate before; that he was painfully unqualified to solve the case. It had taken Dr. Kim years of work to gain such an enviable closing rate amongst the ranks, but it would take far less for people to disregard everything he had built so carefully.  

 

There was a fire alight inside of the Doctor; he needed to rise to the challenge. He could still remember how small he felt in the heavy presence of the Alpha, Mr. Park. Unsure as he currently was, it was still difficult for him to resign the fact that his profile may have been wrong, and that his initial suspect was only the result of his own prejudice. As he continued to investigate the case the Doctor had come to discover the deep and constant pull of curiosity, heady in a way a novel was too exciting to put to rest before its conclusion. The Doctor admittedly became fascinated with Omegas and consequently Alphas as well. Those rare beings, as was the public's perception, a consensus which he too slowly came to agree with. Old families, long recorded lineage, almost as though Alphas and Omegas were royalty; and perhaps they were for a time before the rise of Betas. But now as he spoke to Professor Zhang, right in the thick of it, a thought dawned on him, and the Doctor realised he was uncomfortably far out of his depth. How could a Beta like himself ever comprehend this other world when he himself was clearly not a part of it?

 

“I'll talk to the police tomorrow, I'll get you on as a consultant.” He said more for himself than anything. Dr. Kim retrieved his brown leather briefcase, worn at the corners, the locks a little rusty. He grabbed the file on top; the most recent one. The Doctor doubted that this was not what he had intended all along, and the understanding of it settled like a barb. It was a little underhanded, he chastised internally, but it was a more comforting idea than his initial reason; desperation.

 

“It's a little gory, you don't have to look at the photos.” Dr. Kim said but he still chose the file with the photo of the victim at the morgue rather than at the scene. Cleaner, less of a shock, he thought.

 

The Professor said nothing and proceeded to open the manila folder. His eyes were clinical, impersonal in their detached focus. The professor scanned the documents as though he had opened the first page of an exam.

 

The photo that greeted the Professor was of Kim Junmyeon, grey like a statue and stitched partially together. The picture was of the victim’s upper body, but all the vital evidence was there, the results, the aftermath. Where the neck was torn and bloody the picture only showed thick black threads that held lifeless skin together.

 

Dr. Kim watched as his friend touched the photo, almost reverently; a caressing motion with the index of his finger. The Doctor tracked the movement before abandoning it to view the Professor’s face. The brimming gentleness he found in the depths of The Professor's eyes did not surprise Dr. Kim, but the sadness was different, unfamiliar. There was a swirl of grey within, an image of wilted flowers, and the raw sight of it took him fiercely by surprise. The Doctor twitched an unconscious frown. He saw what bubbled beneath the surface of the Professor’s gaze, hidden forcefully but not well enough; was that loss? Longing?  

 

Dr. Kim felt a knot stuck in his throat, he was lost for words, and before he lost them all inadvertently, a few spilled from his lips like they needed to be voiced. “I-I'm sorry, did you know him?”

 

“Hm?” Professor Zhang replied mindlessly. Eyes rapt on the photo still in contact with the pad of his finger. “As much as one would know a fellow classmate. We attended the same boarding school… Far too many years ago than I can currently remember.”

 

“I-I see…”

 

“I want to help you Jongdae, help you find the culprit,” Professor Zhang smiled as though the last moment had never happened. “I believe a reprieve from Academia is in order.” He grinned as he neatly closed the file, tapping the folder and its contents on the table. The Professor promptly returned them to the Doctor. “What do you say? Dusty books do no favours for my respiratory health.”

 

Dr. Kim blinked, unsure where else to look when the Professor’s eyes seemed so determined.

 

“We can work on the profile together, there are few Alphas around and even fewer omegas, let alone in Seoul. I could narrow down your search.” Professor Zhang smiled. “Hm?”

 

“... O-okay, yes, right,”

 

The Professor beamed with crescent eyes before standing up to pat down his blazer. Dr. Kim could only stare in silence.

 

“Now, enough shop talk, how about a drink then? I dare say I need it. My treat Jongdae, I know of a quaint little bar near the university,” Said the Professor. “Come along.”  

 

 

 

 

  


**Author's Note:**

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